Vacuum-sweeper.



FRANK J'. MATCHTTE, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

VACUUM-SWEEPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Mar. 1'2, 1912.

Application filed June 12, 1909. Serial No. 501,707.

T o all whom 'Zt may concern.' I

Be it known that I, FRANK J. MATCHETTE, a citizen of the'United States,residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum-Sweepers, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompay drawing, forming a part therof.

This invention lrelates more particularly `to tools for taking up and`removing dust and .dirt with an air draft from carpets, rugs and thelike. Its main object is to simplify and improve the construction andoperation of tools of this class, and it consists in the construction,arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularlydescribed and defined in the claims.

In `theaccompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts inthe several figures.`

Figure 1 yis a plan view of a sweeper embodying the invention; Fig. 2 isa longitudinal section of the same on the line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is atransverse section cutting the tubular shank lengthwise on the line 3 3,

Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4 .is an end view of the tubular sweeper head.

The sweeper comprises an open frame or shoe a, a tube b, and a tubularshank c' in which the tubular handle or arm d for operating the sweeperandconuecting it with 'a pump or other vacuum producing means, isremovably fitted.

The frame or shoe a may be cast as shown, in one piece, with parallelside bearing pieces e connectedat the ends by arches f and located at adistance from the tube b. T he arches are formed in their inner andopposing sides with curved grooves g lconcentric with the alinedopenings in lthe arches. The tube b, which is preferably made Vof sheetmetal or seamless tubing, is

pf cylindrical form and has a longitudinal slot in the under sideextending farom end to end, the edges of the metal next to the slotbeing fianged or bent `inwardly and forming with the sides of thetube,cleaning lips h around orunderneath which the air has tol pass to enterthe tube. v

i is a segmental sleeve in which the tube b is fitted, and which in turnis fitted at the ends into the arches f, in which it is secured with thetube by. pins j or other suitable means. The shank c terminates at oneend 7 in a laterally extended concave bearing la,

which is fitted to turn upon the sleeve i and is held and guided at theends in the grooves g so as to maintain a close working fit between saidbearing and said sleeve. The opposite end of the shank is counterboredand 'provided as shown in Fig. 3, with an A elastic split coupling ringZ, the normal internal diameter of which is slightly smaller than theexternal diameter of the tubular handle or arm al. The coupling ring Zis loosely confined in the counterbore of the shank by a ring m, whichis forced into or otherwise secured in place in 'the shank. Disks n and0 are fitted and secured in the ends of the tube b, the disk o beingformed with an opening p which affords access to' the interior of thetube and means for removing obstructions therefrom. This opening isnormally closed by a pivoted cover g. The disks are cut away or recessedas shown in Figs. 2 and 3, next to' the slot in the under side of thetube, thus aHording 'restricted openings at thos points for the ad`mission of` air into the ube. The effect of these openings is to admit asmall excess of air at points remote from the tubular shank aand thusmake uniform the air draft or current throughout the length of thesweeper.

The tube b and the sleeve z' are formed in the upper part thereof withan opening or port r lthrough which the interior of thev tube is inconstant communication with the passage inthe tubular shank c, whateverthe angular position of the arm or handle d may be. i

The lips h along the sides of the slot in the under side of the tube,projectslightly below the adjacent edges of the sleeve z' and thebearing pieces e of the shoe. so as to sink into a carpet, rug or otherfabric, in the operation of 'the sweeper thereon, and thus cause the airas it rushes around or underneath said lips into the tube through theslot in the underside thereof, to more effectively dislodge and removedust .and dirt `from the carpet, rug or other fabric.

In the operation of the tool, the handle or arm d swings freely withthe. shank c around the tube b in a plane at right angles to its axis,assuming any position orangle relativel lto the plane of the bearings eof the shoe most suitable and convenient for the operation ofthe tool'under varying conditions. The bearings e of the shoe lbeing located atsome distanceI from and on opposite sides of the tube b, carry the tubewithl the slot on the `under side thereof in the proper relation to thework, whatever position or angle the handle or operating arm may assume.

For sweepin under low furniture, fixtures or other o jects, `the handleor operatsides of and approximately 'parallel with said tube `and.connected at v the ends by arches in which the tube is fitted andsecured, and a tubular shankhaving a transverseconcave bearing fitted toturn upon said tube and guided at the ends in said arches, with thepassage in the shank in communication with the port in said tube.

2. In'a vacuum sweeper the combination of'a tube having closed ends, alongitudinal slot in the under side and a port in the upper middle'portioma shoe having bearings on opposite sides of said tube andapproximately in the plane' of said slot and connected at the ends byarches in which said tube is secured and` which are formed in theirinnerk sides with `grooves concentric with'the tube, and a tubular shankterminating at one end with a concave bearing which is fitted upon saidtube over the port therein and has! tongues at the ends fitting into and'guided in 'the grooves in said arches.

3. n a vacuum sweeperv the combination of a shoe having bearing piecesconnected by arches a metal tube having a longitudinal slot in the underside, the edges of the metal next to the slot being flanged in- Wardly,asegmental reinforcing sleeve iittedl over the middle portion of thetubel and se cured therewith in the arches ofthe shoe. and a tubularshank terminating at one end in a concave `bearing which is fitted toturn on said sleeve. and is guided 4 concentric therewith in saidarches,` the tube andi sleeve being 'formed with a port through whichthe passage in the shank communicates with the 'interior of the tube.

4. In a vacuum-sweeper the combination of-a shoe having bearing piecesconnected by arche s,v a segmental sleeve fitted land" secured 1n saidarches, a metal tube tted and secured in said VsleeveV and having alongitudinal slot in the under side, the edges of the metal next to theslot being anged in-l wardly and forming with the adjacent sides of thetube cleaning lips which .project zbelow the adjacent edges of thesleeve,.and a tubular yshank terminating atene end in a transverseconcave bearing which is fitted to turn on said sleeve and is guidedconcentric therewith in said arches.

5. ln a vacuum sweeper the combination of an open frame or shoe havingside bearing pieces connectedat thejends by arches which are formed withgrooves in their inner and opposing sides, a segmental sleevefitted insaid arches, a cylindrical tube fitted in and secured with said sleevein the arches and between the bearing pieces of said shoe and havingclosed ends and a longitudinal slot with inturnededges along theunderside, and a tubular shank terminating at one end in a laterallyextended concave bearing fitted to turn on said sleeve and guided at theends inthe grooves ofsaid arches, the tube and sleeve' being formed witha port inposition to communicate ywith the passage in said shank. A

6. \In a vacuum sweeper the combination of a ttube having a longitudinalslot in the under side, a shoe `fixed to said tube and havingbearingsfon ,opposite sides thereofand at a distance therefrom, t-hetubealong the sides of said slot extending below said bearings, and atubular shank having a hinge or pivot -connection with the tubeandcommunicating with the interior of thgough a port therein.

n a vacuum sweeper vthe combinationv of a tube having a longitudinalslot in the under side and restricted openings ,in the ends next to theslot, a shoe fixed to said the tubel tube and having bearings onopposite sides thereof and at a ydistance therefrom, the

tube along the sides of the slot extendingbelow said bearings, andy atubular shank havinga hinge' or pivot connection withy the tube andcommunicating with the interior of the tube-.through a port therein.

. In witness whereof I heretofatlix my signature in presenceof twowitnesses.

l FRANK-J. MATCHETTE.

Witnesses:

ASA L. BUnDIcK, ARTHUR J. ZEALLEY.A

